Liverpool news: Stars at ‘massive’ risk as new ‘cash grab’ revealed – pundit
Noel Whelan has blasted plans which would see the “world’s top clubs” like Liverpool participate in a new-look expanded Club World Cup from 2025.
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted the proposals are a “cash grab” and could result in more and more players “breaking down” with injury.
As per the BBC (16 December), Fifa president Gianni Infantino has announced that he is planning to expand the Club World Cup to 32 teams from June 2025.
The Swiss insisted the “world’s best teams will be invited to participate” – while player’s union Fifpro claimed the plans have “serious consequences for and aggravate pressure on the welfare” of the players.
Liverpool played every single game possible last season, reaching the final of the Champions League and winning the FA Cup and League Cup finals at Wembley.
The Merseysiders have struggled to replicate their historic campaign in the 2022-23 season and sit sixth in the Premier League – some 15 points adrift of league leaders Arsenal.
Whelan told Football Insider’s Ewan Kingsbury: “It’s just a massive cash grab – we know Fifa have always been about the money first.
“The players and their safety, that’s just secondary to them.
“They need to rethink this. Why change something that’s not broken? It’s had success for all this time, why do you need to change the format?
“I don’t see how clubs will be able to fit this new tournament in. There’s not enough time between seasons.
“Infantino’s got to go back to the drawing board. We’re seeing more and more players break down because of the sheer amount of games, and these are players we love to watch.”
In other news, pundit “wowed” as Thiago Alcantara footage emerges from Liverpool.